Summer's Last Pickings

 

Summer's Last Pickings  oil 10X10 inches 

Purchase info here. 

At the end of fall I still had some string bean vines barely hanging on, and a few cherry tomotes too.  I like the scattered look of this painting.  Isn't it interesting that the human eye finds randomness more interesting than order?  We like variety and surprise more than what is predictable.  The background color is a cool gray even though it may appear blue or violet here in the image.  This piece is custom framed in a narrow mahogany floater frame, ready to hang.  If you'd like to see it in the frame, just email me. 

Afternoon Angel

 

Afternoon Angel  oil 12x9

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For a few days in January I repeatedly walked past this scene just off my kitchen slider; my mother's patio set from the sixties, an angel statue I had given her, and the last few roses left after winter pruning.  The light shining through the little white pitcher and rose petals caught my eye day after day until I set up to paint it.  See the tiny skull shape on the far right?  It's a little pot with succulent, a little thank you gift from a kind person who took a workshop from me.  

Garden Decor -a plein air painting from my garden

 

Garden Decor  oil 14x11 inches

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Another remembrance of Spring here.  "Garden Decor" is a little bit more civilized name for "yard crap", which is what a friend of mine calls this stuff!  lol.  Do you like this kind of stuff in your yard?  I do.  

May Day Mums -a plein air painting from my backyard

 

May Day Mums    oil 9x12 inches

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On this particular day in May the milder weather enabled me to paint in the sun and thus closer to my subject.  My favorite part of this set up is the blue pot against the brick color in light and shadow.  The closer vantage point allowed for more detail in the little pot of succulents. I have painted the trowel handle in this painting and On The Garden Wall to whatever color would work best for the painting.  It's really a pale green. 

 I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.  We had 8 of us (not all of us) around our table to enjoy an 18 lb. fresh turkey.  (Lots of leftovers!)  Our grandson read aloud Psalm 33.  I recommend reading it if you have some quiet time today.

I'm thankful for many many blessings, including being able to paint almost every day.  I'm sincerely thankful for  all of YOU who follow my painting journey and purchase my work.  

On The Garden Wall

 

On The Garden Wall    oil 9x12 inches

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This is more of my work from April.  It was a very warm day, but the roses and lavender were in full bloom.  I had this beautiful little pot of white mums.  Compelled to do some plein air painting in spite of Covid lockdown and the heat, I positioned myself in shade under both an avocado tree and a beach umbrella.  I had a great time and was happy with the result.  The next day was cooler, so I was able to paint this lovely subject again from a closer vantage point.  That one is coming up next.  

Patio Roses

 

Patio Roses  oil 12x12 inches

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April floribundas from my yard, painted outside on my kitchen porch.  My mother's old patio set depicted dates back to the sixties.  In high school I took geometry during summer school.  I remember sitting in one of these chairs for many days copying "theorums."  At the time, it was the only math class I got an A in because it was visual, and I got to "draw."  At this point in my life I can't even tell you what a theorum is!  

Spring Shadows -a plein air painting from my backyard

 

Spring Shadows   oil 12x9

Purchase info here.  

In April I had a glorious glob of blooms in my backyard: rannunculus, irises, and various poppies.  They really were this dense.  The shadows cast over the edge of the concrete caught my eye too.  I eyed them for several days thinking about what time window would be best.  I set up in early afternoon knowing the shadows would get longer, but I'd need to stick to my original draw in.  I worked fast to keep it loose. It was a good challenge.   

Porch Primrose

oil 12x12 inches Purchase info here. A painting from the atrium near my front porch. These primrose bloom early every spring and create the proverbial "primrose path" to my front door! I had a great time painting it, and a not-so-great time trying to get a good photo of the painting. In other words, I wish you could see it in person.

A Shady Spot

oil 9x12 inches For a closer look and purchase info click here. This is a plein air piece from Amy's Farm in Ontario, CA. A little water fountain under an arbor.

Window Box

oil 8x6 inches click for purchase information and zoom A few years back my husband and I took a walk through an older neighborhood in Meridian, Idaho. The little old houses were beautifully cared for. When I saw this scene, my first thought was of course, "what beautiful gardening." No, it's more than that. It's love. Someone had poured their love into that yard, and here I was enjoying the beauty of it. I'm thinking about how important it is to do our work with love, whatever that work may be.

Plein Air At Amy's Farm SOLD

oil on canvas panel 12x9 inches

Just around the corner from us some long time friends own and run "Amy's Farm". They offer field trip farm experiences for young children and grow organic vegetables. This morning it was just too beautiful to paint inside, so I headed over to the farm. In the garden, the light was hitting the tops of fence boards, planted rows, and that lone discarded pumpkin...so I turned it into a painting. (The painting is better than the photo!) Turns out I had painted the compost pile! Farmer Randy liked it and bought it as a birthday gift for someone who lives and works on the farm, and rightfully so. She adds goat manure to the compost pile all the time. Thank you to Amy's Farm for welcoming kids, teachers, families and artists.

Path To Maloof's SOLD

oil on canvas panel 10x8 inches

The home of beloved master woodworker, Sam Maloof, is in Alta Loma about 30 minutes away from me. The Maloof Foundation offers tours and invites artists to paint in the gardens on Thursdays and Saturdays. To say that this is a special place is an understatement. It was an honor to paint where he walked.